GRILLED PITA

Grilled Pita image

Common throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean, pita is traditionally baked at high temperatures in a tandoor (clay) oven. The versatile staple is served with kebabs, falafel, souvlaki, hummus, baba ganoush and many other preparations. It's popular in America, too, but our store-bought pita generally leaves a lot to be desired. (For starters, by the time we get it, it's often several days old.) The good news is that pita is easy to make at home and the soft, tender and fragrant result is well worth it. Although you can bake it in a regular oven, we use a grill to replicate a bit of that smoky tandoor flavor. Cooking the dough on a griddle rather than directly on the grill grates means there's less chance of sticking, making the bread easier to flip.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 2h40m

Yield 8 pitas

Number Of Ingredients 6

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Ingredients

2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon instant yeast
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 cup warm water, plus more for sprinkling
Olive oil, for brushing

Steps:

Whisk 2 1/2 cups flour and the yeast, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Add the water and mix using a rubber spatula until the dough comes together. The dough should be a little sticky, but soft and able to hold its shape. Add up to 1/2 cup more flour, if needed. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead until it's soft, smooth and elastic, 5 to 7 minutes. Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer and knead until the dough becomes soft and elastic, about 5 minutes. The dough might be just a little sticky and that's okay.
Place the dough in a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel. Place in a draft-free area, such as a turned-off oven, until doubled in size, about 90 minutes.
Gently deflate the dough by pressing it down with your hands. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide into 8 pieces. Shape each piece into a ball and gently flatten. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, place a cast-iron griddle on an outdoor grill and heat it to medium high (450 degrees F) with the lid closed. Alternatively, you can use a large cast-iron skillet.
Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll out 1 piece of dough into a round about 1/4-inch thick, flipping the dough a few times to prevent it from sticking. Meanwhile, keep the remaining pieces of dough covered with a kitchen towel. Transfer the rolled-out pitas to a baking sheet and cover with a kitchen towel. Repeat with the remaining dough, stacking the rounds with a flour-dusted piece of parchment or wax paper between each round to prevent them from sticking.
Brush the griddle lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle a little water on a rolled-out pita and place it on the griddle. You can cook 2 pitas at a time on a grill pan and 1 pita at a time on a cast-iron skillet. Close the grill and cook until there are small light brown spots on the pita, about 2 1/2 minutes on each side. Some of the pitas will puff up as they cook. Transfer to a platter and cover with a clean towel to prevent them from drying out. Repeat with the remaining rolled-out pitas. (It shouldn't be necessary to re-oil the griddle if it is well-seasoned.) Serve warm.